KUTZTOWN, Pa. – Judd Novak (Manheim, Pa./Manheim Central) threw for four touchdowns, including scores to Kurtis Ravenel Jr. (Carlisle, Pa./Carlisle) and Jordan Davis (Franklin, N.J./Saint Joseph Metuchen) in the fourth quarter, as Kutztown overcame a seven-point deficit to down previously unbeaten East Stroudsburg, 34-27, and take control of the PSAC East Saturday afternoon at Andre Reed Stadium.
 
More than 5,000 fans packed the stands for Family Day, and they were treated to another good game between the two longstanding rivals.
 
East Stroudsburg won the toss and wanted to send an early message by taking the football. Late down conversions helped them do just that. Quarterback Sean McTaggart found John Siggins for 33 yards on an early third down play and hit Tyrese Brandon for 11 yards on 4th and 3 in Kutztown territory to extend its opening drive.
 
On third and goal, McTaggart executed a play action pass to perfection and linked up with tight end Jonathan Post for an 8-yard touchdown that put the visitors in front, 7-0, at the 7:33 mark.
 
It didn't take long for Kutztown (3-2, 2-0 PSAC East) to respond in kind. A 20-yard pass from Novak to Mekhi Gibson (Ewing, N.J./Ewing), a defensive penalty by the Warriors and two quick strikes to Ravenel Jr. had the Bears knocking on the door. Davis broke into the end zone from three yards out as KU knotted the game with 3:01 to go in the first.
 
Kutztown's wide receivers showcased their game-breaking speed to twice take the top off the ESU (4-1, 1-1 PSAC East) defense. Kaden Hastie (Tabernacle, N.J./Seneca) hauled in a 55-yard TD pass from Novak with 4:28 left before halftime for the only score of the second quarter, giving KU a 14-7 edge at the break.
 
On the Bears' opening possession of the third, Novak spotted Gibson down the middle of the field for a 68-yard scoring play. The extra point was blocked as Kutztown's lead grew to 20-7. Five of Gibson's eight catches this season have gone for 30 yards or more, including a 72-yard TD in the home opener against Mercyhurst, Sept. 16, and Saturday's 68-yard TD.
 
The remainder of the third quarter belonged to the Warriors, however, completely changing the temperature of the game. Tyriq Lewis pounded his way in for six with 10:14 to go, making it a one score game, before DJ Thomson made a beautiful 19-yard TD catch that put ESU back in front, 21-20 with 3:01 left.
 
Kutztown, meanwhile, struggled to get anything going. The Maroon and Gold ran just 10 plays over three consecutive third quarter possessions that ended in a pair of punts and an interception.
 
On the first play of the fourth quarter, McTaggart connected with Beau Heyser down the seam for a 25-yard TD. A missed extra point kept the Warrior lead to seven, 27-20.
 
Luckily for KU, it made critical plays on both sides of the ball when they were needed most.
 
Following a big third down sack from Jalen DeVose (Lansdale, Pa./La Salle College H.S.), the Golden Bears got the ball back near midfield with 11:16 to play.  Novak linked up with Gibson for 19 yards, before laying a ball into Ravenel Jr.'s lap between two defenders from 23 yards out for the tying score with 8:49 remaining.
 
The Kutztown defense would come up huge again on ESU's next series. Tyler Whary (Hereford, Pa./Upper Perkiomen) sacked McTaggart on third down and Oyame Adoga (Clementon, N.J./Highland Regional) snuffed out an ill-fated fake punt on fourth down to set the Bears up with the ball at the ESU 28.
 
Davis did much of the rest, adjusting to a Novak pass in midflight for a 21-yard catch and accounting for the go-ahead touchdown on a 2-yard pass with 5:38 to play.
 
ESU got two possessions late to try and tie the game, but the Kutztown defense was having none of it. A third-down sack from Kam Wolfe (Reading, Pa./Governor Mifflin) forced a three-and-out by the Warriors as the clock ticked under four minutes and Brayden Pohlman (Egg Harbor Township, N.J./Mainland Regional) sacked McTaggart on fourth down in KU territory to seal the win.
 
Reigning PSAC East Defensive Athlete of the Week Gabe Gipli (Levittown, Pa./Harry S. Truman) also had a sack, giving the Bears a season-high five. Whary collected a game-high nine tackles and a quarterback hurry. Drew Hensor (Fairless Hills, Pa./Pennsbury) and Freddie Retter (Quakertown, Pa./Quakertown) added six tackles each. Adoga registered his second interception as a Golden Bear in the second quarter.
 
Novak shook off a pair of interceptions to finish 18-of-29 for 285 yards and a career-high four touchdowns. Davis ran 14 times for 47 yards and a TD, while also catching a game-high six passes for 42 yards and another score.
 
Gibson enjoyed his second career 100-yard receiving day with three receptions for 107 yards and the long TD.
 
Kutztown held a 397-291 advantage in total offense, thanks in large part to its stifling run defense. The Bears allowed just 64 yards on the ground, their second-fewest allowed this season. KU is yielding just 80.4 rushing yards per game this season, second-best in the PSAC and in the top 25 nationally.
 
McTaggart threw for 227 yards and three TDs for the Warriors. ESU totaled five sacks defensively, and got interceptions from Malachi Bowman and Sergei Felizor. Kutztown's victory was its ninth in a row over ESU and 12th in the last 13 meetings going back to 2010. Four of the last five games between the schools have been decided by seven points or less.
 
Kutztown has a leg up in the race for the PSAC East title as the only team in league play without a loss after two weeks. The Golden Bears head to Bloomsburg next Saturday for a 2 p.m. kick.
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